Fall of War
by Sleeping-force's-inside
Summary: The Titans are not the only ones who wish the Olympians harm. Now a terrible power has risen, bend on revenge... R & E & R! Set after TLO, non-HoO-complaint! COMPLETE Fixed the Ninth Chapter!
1. Rachel ruins the Olympian's Day

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 1**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Rachel grumbled under her breath, after a month already having grown tired of Clarion Ladies Academy. At least she had something to look forward to: Camp Half-Blood. As soon as it was summer she could go there again. Hopefully nothing strange happened until then. Ha, who was she kidding? Clarion's was so boring she would welcome the most strange thing ever simply because it would liven things up.

She sighed, before submitting to her fate. At least her sacrifice saved the world, which had to count for something, right? She sighed again, taking her tape-recorder from the drawer in which she kept her electronic stuff: cell-phone, tape-recorder, something Lord Apollo had called Olymp-phone and some other things. Apparently an Oracle really _does_ sprout prophecies wildly and since she couldn't stay at Camp Half-Blood all year – like everyone, herself included, would have wanted – the god had given her this phone to ensure she could always contact someone since Iris-messages couldn't be send by mortals, Oracle or not. Why that meant Hera and such had to be in the contact-list too, she couldn't say.

She once more started to recite the text she had to learn by heart before next Monday, recording it so she could listen back to it afterwards.

The next thing she recalled was picking herself up from the floor. How had she ended up there? Almost immediately the answer hit her and she rushed for the recorder, rewinding the tape. Indeed, about halfway there was a short silence after which a different voice started to speak: the voice of the Oracle. Well crap, seems that that Olymp-phone had a good reason after all. She snatched it from the drawer, nearly emptying its' contents across the floor in her haste.

Speed-dial Apollo. He answered immediately.

"Rachel, what did you call for?" His voice was lyrical and she could almost see his blinding smile. He loved the fact he had a living Oracle again.

"I got a prophecy just now." There was silence on the other side of the line. She expected the slight shiver in her voice made him think.

"Important?" He asked.

"Fate-of-Olympus-important." She answered him, the silence now deafening.

"Do you have to be anywhere the next few hours?" A hint of urgency was in his voice now.

"No."

"Get ready to leave." He ordered, breaking the connection.

She quickly took a bag and threw both her phones in, as well as the recorder with the prophecy. About ten minutes later footsteps sounded in the hallway outside of her room and the door was thrown open. Apollo stood in front of her and she followed immediately, not asking any questions. He led her outside to a Maserati Spider she knew to be the sun-chariot.

"Close your eyes." He told her when they both were inside. Again she asked no questions as she could feel the heat radiate off of both him and the car. The spirit of the Oracle protected her, but she didn't want to try whether that included true-form-seeing.

"Do you have the prophecy written down?" The car surged forward as he spoke.

"I have it recorded." She kept her eyes firmly closed and patted the bag with one hand. "As long as mortal recorders work on Olympus that shouldn't be a problem."

"Hermes can deal with that. We're there." Both left the car, walking up the steps to the throne-room.

"Rachel." Percy greeted her. "We were here when Apollo sounded the alarm, what happened?"

'We' were in this context practically all the half-bloods.

"Peace, Seaweed-Brain, she'll tell us." Annabeth soothed, but she looked just as worried as Percy did.

Apollo grew to Olympian height and sat down on his throne. Most other gods were seated already too, but some thrones were still empty.

Rachel paled as she saw exactly which thrones were empty. "Where are they?"

"They're on their way. They were somewhere on Greenland." Zeus grumbled. "Now what was this about a 'Fate-of-Olympus-important' prophecy?"

Rachel shook herself and dug up the recorder from her bag. "I have it recorded here." She hesitated and then gave it to Apollo. He immediately passed it on to Hermes, who connected it to his caduceus-phone and pressed play.

For a bit there was her normal voice as Hermes searched for the right part and then there was a short silence. Followed by the voice of the Oracle:

"Two Siblings dance under the Moon

Not knowing it is too soon.

As the Warriors of Olympus fall

Children of the Eldest three answer the call.

Swift they must be,

Lest the daughter her siblings never see

As the Earth rises in anger

She brings the whole of Olympus to danger."

Silence, deafening silence. Then, terrifyingly slowly, every one turned to the two empty thrones. Ares and Athena were not in attendance. And they were the Warriors of Olympus, the gods of War itself.

"They went sparring." Artemis breathed, breaking the silence. "They went to dance in the way of warriors…"

Outside the Moon was full, shining with brilliant silver light.

"Hermes!" The voice boomed in the room, accentuated by the rumbling of thunder. The Messenger of the gods jumped up, bursting into bright light. The half-bloods turned away as Hermes raced to Greenland.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hermes was hands-down the fastest god Olympus had to offer, but now he pushed himself to his limit to go even faster. In an abandoned corner of the huge island Ares had an arena, since Hera had forbidden him from fighting on Olympus.

He and Athena had gone there earlier today for a sparring-match, something they had been unable to do since Artemis had been abducted. He breathed a sigh of relief when the arena came into view, but immediately regretted it when noticing the dead-silence: no clamor, no talking, nothing…

He crested the rise hiding the arena from direct view and gasped. It was empty, but the ground was overturned, reminiscent of a freshly plowed field. Only the plow had also gone through the stone seats surrounding the field, scattering them in the immediate area.

"Ares? Athena?" He called, descending from the skies, but not yet touching down. "Are you here?"

His eyes scanned the ground, examining the wreckage. A glint of gold caught his attention. He closed his fingers around it and pulled. The golden helmet was squashed – it was the only fitting word – and looked like it could be pushed under a door. The problem was it was Ares' and the War-god would have not left his favorite helmet here, whether it looked like a mountain had been dropped on it or not.

A glint of celestial bronze to his left alerted him to a shield which had been folded. Celestial bronze shouldn't get folded, not like that. Still holding the helmet he picked up the shield, studying it. A ring of snakes etched into the metal revealed the owner: Athena.

What had happened here? The Earth rose in answer, opening up to swallow the god.


	2. The Gods help us on our Quest

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 2**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Annabeth was quite close to panicking, I could see it. Her eyes seemed glued to the throne of her mother, as if silently begging Athena to pop in. I did the same though. Ares could get stolen for all I cared. Hey, the guy tried to murder me every chance he got. But Athena? We were still talking about the mom of my girlfriend here, even if she wasn't that fond of me either.

The gods were restless as well, waiting for Hermes to return, preferably with the two war-gods. I looked at my father, who was speaking in hushed tones with both his brothers. Zeus looked more worried than I had ever seen him.

Commotion from the outside stopped me from wondering any more. Some nymphs pushed open the door, carrying a man inside. With a shock I realized he was leaving a trail of golden ichor. A set of wings on his head fluttered weakly.

"Hermes!" Apollo called out, rushing over. The nymphs lowered their burden on the ground as the Sun-god came to a skidding stop next to them. "Brother…"

"Apollo, his leg." Artemis said behind me with a shocked gasp. I blinked, blinked again and felt my mouth fall open: the golden ichor fell from a stump which had once been a healthy left leg. Somewhere above his knee it had been ripped apart.

No one broke the ensuing silence, save Hermes who couldn't keep pained sounds from escaping his lips. Apollo glowed now, healing his brother. It took longer than I would have expected: a single sentence had fixed Annabeth after our battle with Kronos, but now he kept chanting as the leg restored itself.

"What happened?" Zeus asked as Hermes drank the offered nectar. "Where are they?"

"I was too late." Hermes said, looking up guiltily. "When I came there the Arena was wrecked and both Ares and Athena gone. I found some of their weapons." He pulled something from beneath his jacket: a squashed helmet and a folded shield. I wondered how he had fit it under there. "The Earth rose up to catch me and had I not been floating above the ground, and had Martha and George not warned me, it would have taken more than my leg."

"No…" Zeus seemed to deflate, dropping back on his chair with an audible thud. "It can't be."

My father and Hades looked from Hermes to their brother, and then at each other. "Repeat the prophecy, please." Hades fixed Rachel with a stare.

"Two Siblings dance under the Moon/Not knowing it is too soon./As the Warriors of Olympus fall/Children of the Eldest three answer the call./Swift they must be,/Lest the daughter her siblings never see./As the Earth rises in anger/She brings the whole of Olympus to danger."

"It is clear what is to happen." Dad looked at me and the other half-bloods. "The children of the Big Three must find Athena and Ares, and so the Fates are with us, save them."

"You will travel to Greenland tomorrow." Hades decreed. "I suggest you return to Camp and prepare yourselves for that. We must not waste any time."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Save her, Percy, I beg you." Annabeth clung to me, her wide, grey eyes pleading.

"How can you think I would not do that, Wise Girl?" I countered, rubbing her back. "I'll bring them both back."

She smiled weakly at me, looking up when someone cleared his throat. The man in the door looked like any fisher, even if I knew he wasn't.

"Annabeth, can I speak to my son alone?" Dad stepped into the cabin. "I need to tell him some things before he leaves."

I hugged her tightly one more time before she left. Dad sat down on the bed and gestured I should sit down beside him. "We'll wait for the rest." I had rarely seen him this serious.

We waited in silence until someone knocked. I opened the door to see Nico and Thalia standing outside. As I let them in the shadows in the corner started to move. Hades stepped out, nodding at his son before seating himself next to my father.

"We'll have to be quick." He told Dad. "Zeus might be too distraught to notice, but Hera isn't."

"Yes, yes." Dad gestured we should seat ourselves.

"What is it then?" Nico looked at his father. "What's so important you _help_ us on our quest?"

"You must free Athena and Ares at all costs." Hades told us, his eyes shimmering with worry. I had never seen him like that. Well, maybe in that flashback of the Curse of the Oracle I never told either him or Nico I witnessed. "If they are lost, we might as well have let Kronos win."

"What?" Thalia stared at her uncles in disbelief. "How can you say that?"

"Athena is too important to lose." Dad spoke. "Even I have to admit that. You saw what became of Zeus after Hermes returned. He is unfit to rule, because – and Thalia, forgive me for saying this – she is his favorite daughter."

Thalia said nothing, instead nodding in agreement.

"If she is gone, Olympus will fall. The reason is quite simple: the gods will have no more wisdom and no leader. Zeus will crumble without her." Hades' eyes started to burn. "You mustn't fail. The moment that Rachel sprouted the prophecy saving them became a quest and the gods are unable to help you."

"To ensure you have the greatest possible chance of winning, there are some gifts we would like you to have." Dad pulled a bag from nowhere, opening it. "For Percy, I have this." He handed me a necklace. On it was a small trident. "It is a powerful amulet; made from the same material my Trident was made. It will enhance your powers and allow you control the movements of the earth to an extent."

"For Nico, I have this." Hades reached into the bag as well, handing my cousin a small bottle.

He accepted it and hissed. "This is Stygian Ice."

"Yes, break it and I will come to your aid." Dad seemed to have expected it, but the three of us were shocked. "But you can only use it once, so choose the time wisely."

"I guess Dad has no gift for me?" Thalia softly asked. She was right though, Zeus wasn't here.

"Zeus has not." Hades confirmed. "But someone else has."

"Artemis sends you your gift, Niece." Dad reached into the bag once more. "And alongside of it, a request: 'Use this well, Thalia, my sister, and bring it back to me. But above all, bring back my siblings.'"

And the bow he pulled out of it was magnificent, even I could tell. Thalia gasped beside me.

"That is…"

"The bow of Artemis. She wishes for you to have it during this quest."


	3. The Earth is really hungry

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 3**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Thalia didn't breathe as she accepted the bow. "I won't disappoint her."

Dad smiled at her. "I am certain you won't. We have to leave though."

"Say, dad." I realized something. "Do you know who we're up against?"

Oh, I hated it when people looked like that. It reminded me of Chiron and Annabeth when they wouldn't tell me something. Suddenly my ADHD-brain decided to replace those two with Hades and Dad. I never knew Hades could look like that with a horse-body.

"You go up against Earth." Hades finally said. Huh, and here I thought they wouldn't tell us. "You must face our grandmother, Gaia herself."

Crap, I suddenly wished they hadn't told us. "Gaia, mother of Kronos?"

"She's the only one, isn't she?" Dad sighed. "I wished you could get some peace, but a Hero's life knows no peace."

"No kidding." They hugged us goodbye, and left us alone. "First Kronos, now Gaia, what will be next?"

"Chaos?" Nico offered. I wanted to hit him.

"Let's go to sleep for tomorrow." Thalia quickly said. "We'll need all our strength for this."

They left too, quickly sneaking to their own Cabins before the Harpies noticed they were out after curfew. I let myself fall back on my bed, softly cursing whoever thought this was a good idea. I'd murder that person. 'Hey, Percy hasn't suffered enough yet. Let's send him at the mother of the guy he caused to explode! It'll be fun!'

I pulled out the amulet Dad had given me to fasten it on the leather cord alongside of the beads.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

We left early the next day, before even the others had woken up. Chiron had managed to convince some centaurs to give us a ride to Greenland, which I considered to be very handy. It wasn't exactly around the corner.

Only the Athena and Ares cabins were awake to see us off. I guess they hadn't gotten any sleep.

Again I promised Annabeth I would bring her mother back, only to come face to face with Clarisse.

"Hey…" She couldn't look me in the eye. "I know you don't like me, and my father even less." She took a deep breath. "But, please, can you save him?"

I had to blink several times before I realized she had just pleaded with me. "Off course I will."

She smiled weakly at me, before returning to her siblings.

"Hey, you coming?" Thalia called from the back of a centaur. She and Nico were obviously waiting for me.

I got hoisted on the back of the nearest centaur and off we were. I still wasn't used to traveling by centaur, but it sure was fast. They set us off near what we had been told was Ares' arena. The next moment they had left us, no doubt running to the nearest stash of rootbeer.

We climbed in silence to the top of the crest of the hill.

"Dude, someone has wrecked this place." Nico was the first to reach the top. I had to agree with him: a giant plow had ruined the place. "Now, what next?"

"Gaia is the Primordial of Earth. She will be underground, in her own element." Thalia suggested. "I say we search for some entrances to cave-systems or something like that."

"Oh, this is going to suck." Nico looked down. "You really think she'll leave us some cave-openings open?"

"Any better idea, Death-breath?" She bit back.

I was about to interfere when a soft rumble hit. They didn't notice a thing, but I did. I guess it was the influence of the amulet Dad had given me.

"Guys, I think we won't need to search." I don't know why I said it, but it definitely was correct. Honestly, I had believed Hermes to be… well, you know, being proverbial when saying that the 'Earth rose up to catch him', but I guess I was mistaken. The Earth did rise up, but this time to catch us. I'd murder the one responsible for this.

"Jump!" I screamed, figuring it would be the safer option to NOT make an acquaintance with the smashing walls.

All three of us jumped into the open mouth of the Earth as one serious earthquake shook the entire area.

We fell surprisingly little, all things considered. But the ground did close above us, effectively cutting us off.

"I have a feeling Gaia wants us to find her." I said as Thalia turned on her flashlight. We were at the end of a corridor, and could only go in one direction.

"Or she wants us to wander in this cave-system forever." Nico, the ever optimistic son of Hades, said. How I loved my cousin. He was truly like his father.

"Anything better than standing here waiting for a monster to drop in." I told them, leading the way.


	4. I hate dreams, did I mention that?

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 4**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I liked the Labyrinth better." Nico looked at every shadow.

"Shouldn't you be perfectly at home here?" I asked. "This looks just like the Orpheus' passage."

"Exactly." He had one hand rammed into his jacket, the other held his sword. "I'm going to fight some Mega-evil in what looks exactly like Dad's place."

"Guys." Thalia stopped walking: we had arrived at the first fork in the road. After hours… "Which way?"

"Right angles up." I noticed. "Let's go left."

"I just so hope we find a way out of here later on." Thalia led the way, shining with her flash-light in front of us. She had slung the silver bow of Artemis around her shoulders and was holding her lance tightly in the hand that didn't hold the flashlight.

We progressed in silence, the hallway growing ever steeper. At one point we even had to climb down a practically vertical wall. But there weren't any monsters meeting us. You'd expect a woman who kidnapped two gods to have some on her payroll. Then again, she probably could crush us like bugs if she wanted. Splet, three dead demigods. Shit, that'd be awkward: hey uncle, yeah, I'm dead in the one quest I SHOULDN'T be dead during. Sorry about that.

After some more boring 'let's walk the only way we can'-hours, we got ready to take a rest. Nico took first watch, and I and Thalia went to sleep.

Off course, as if I set my clock to it I ended up _dreaming_. Now we all know what that means: show-time. That show-time started with a bomb exploding next to me. Even in my dreams people tried to kill me…

I ducked into the nearest safe spot, which happened to be some kind of trench. Where in the name of every single god on Olympus was I?

"Percy." A voice next to me croaked. I turned to see some wounded soldier laying to my left. I blinked several times when he tried to open his eyes and all that came out was some golden fluid. Then, with a shock, I realized it was Ichor. The soldier was a god! And there was only one god that would think the middle of a battlefield is a good place to chat.

"Ares." I approached him warily, but he merely struggled to sit up rather than attack me. I hesitantly helped him up, leaning him against the earth wall of the ditch.

"Worst situation ever." He croaked. "I need a favor of you."

That could count as a terrible situation for him, what with our uh… rivalry. "What is it?" Best to humor him.

"You know what the price would be if Athena is lost." The god began. "And we both know how much you hate me, but I need you to swear something on the Styx to me."

Woah, no way! I backpedaled mentally. Oaths on the Styx were unbreakable and no way I'd let him dictate what I'd swear or not.

"You're not the only one who hates me." I figured he hadn't seen my reaction. Could he be blinded if he never had had eyes to begin with? "My family hates me: my parents, siblings, even my children would rather see me gone. They despise me, or plain fear me. We both know that."

He did have a point there. "What exactly would the oath entail?" I finally asked, ducking as another bomb/grenade/whatever blew up near us.

"That you put everyone before me." Ares somehow managed to rise, grasping my shirt in his fists. "Save my sisters, save my cousins before you even think about saving me. Humanity does not need war and no one would miss it at any rate. Athena is a deity of War too, she can take my role. And everyone would be infinitively happier. Swear to me that you will save those that _will_ be missed before saving me."

His voice shuddered, wavered and his face trembled. It hit me then, like Zeus' Masterbolt would should I ever step on a plane: he was about to cry. Ares, God of War, was about to cry. I could certainly understand him somewhere. I mean, he was practically telling me to leave him to Gaia – which, by the looks of him, involved huge amounts of torture – if that meant saving everyone else. He was so certain that no one wanted him that he'd chose that rather than risk anyone's life, mine included.

But then I remembered what had happened before I left Camp. Clarisse had begged me to save her father and all of her siblings had been in silent agreement with her. Ares was wrong: his children at the very least wanted him. How could I condemn their father like that? Perhaps I would have been tempted, if not for that.

"No."

His muscles tensed, a growl escaping his lips. "What did you say, punk?"

"I won't swear that to you." The trembling of his body got worse, but this time not because of grief, but anger.

"You would deny a god?" I don't know where he got the strength from, but he crashed me against the ground. "I ask you one simple thing, and you can't even do that? I order you to swear that to me!"

"No." Even wounded, he was far stronger than I. The only thing stopping him from murdering me right there and then was the fact I was still dreaming. But suddenly he froze and I saw an emotion even more alien cross his face: fear. No, not fear, downright terror had him all but forget I was there. Or not, off course.

"Wake!" He pushed against me and I felt myself being catapulted back to the land of the waking. The last thing I saw was him, pierced by stone spires while long tendrils of some kind of plant wound around him. Then I saw his eyes, now wide-open, looking at me with silent pleading.

"Swear it to me." His lips formed.


	5. Meeting HER by titan's Grace

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 5**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"What did you dream?" Nico demanded when I calmed some. I had woken them both after Ares had catapulted me out of my dream. Thalia took the thermos with ambrosia back from me as I told them. Gaia knew already, so there was no harm in talking about it.

"I did not expect that of him." Thalia softly said after I finished telling them. "Ares never struck me as anything but a man who'd put himself first."

"Even the gods have hidden depths." Nico whispered. "Will you do as he asked?"

"No." I shook my head. "I promised Clarisse I would save her father. I keep my promises."

Both of them remained silent at that. They probably didn't know what to say at that. Honestly, I myself didn't even know what to think about that. I just told them I'd save the god that wanted to kill me almost every single time he saw me. I surely must have lost my mind.

"Get back to sleep." I told both my cousins. "I'll take next watch."

"I doubt either of us can sleep now, Seaweed Brain." Thalia pointed out. "Let's move on. No offense to Death Breath, but I want to get out of these caves quickly."

Nico grumbled something under his breath, but he agreed with her. Huh, since when where they such good buddies? They normally never agree. I blame the environment for this.

"I'm worried we still haven't encountered any monsters." Thalia packed her backpack while speaking. "Gaia is letting us walk straight to her."

"Well, she can simply squash us, regardless of Curse of Achilles or not." Nico pointed out. "She wants us to reach her."

"And that just so makes me feel better." She muttered. "If she wants to be found, why go through all this trouble of hiding in a cave-system?"

"She does not want the gods to find her." I wheeled around at the new voice, coming face to face with a scarred man.

"Prometheus." Thalia recognized him seconds before I did. Well, guess we found where he was hiding.

"Miss Grace." He greeted her. "My mother sends me to greet you. She wants to speak to you."

"Your mother?" Gods, I really needed to pay more attention in the classes about Greek Mythology.

"Gaia. Mother Earth." Prometheus grinned. "If you would follow me?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I know what you're thinking now: don't follow him! Following your enemy somewhere is never a good idea, but what else were we supposed to do? He knew where Gaia was and we didn't. That didn't stop me from wanting to stab Riptide into his body: he was being terribly smug about the fact that Athena and Ares had fallen. I just hoped that most of his stories about what they were going through were made up. Last I saw her Athena still looked like a perfect twin to Annabeth and I did not need to see her like that.

"Down that hallway." He pointed down a one way and immediately left down another.

"Well, best to just go down." Nico suggested.

I agreed, leading the way. The walls were very smooth, almost like someone had polished them to perfection. Torches were set in the walls at perfect intervals, making the walls shine in the green glow from Greek Fire.

It led us to a big room with only a few chairs in it. On the far wall was a door made out of solid stone. On one of the chairs a woman was waiting for us. She looked like the stereotypically mother: round and downright motherly…

"You are later than I expected." She greeted us. "Then again, Half-bloods never were that fast."

"You're Gaia?" I asked her, gripping the hilt of Riptide a little tighter.

"In the flesh." She gestured to the other chairs. "Please, take a seat."

The chair were quite comfy, but I was still on edge.

"I must apologize for our first meeting, Perseus." Her earth-brown eyes fixed on me. "I was a bit… angry… with Ares for doing that."

"You skewered him." I pointed out.

She grimaced. "With great power comes a greet need for control. If that control is lost… well, then all hell breaks loose, as the mortals say. You shouldn't worry so much, he is not worth it." Now she really reminded me of a mother, but that smile was creepy exactly because of that whole 'don't worry, mommy got this'-vibe.

"I beg to differ." Thalia stated from my right. "My brother is worth a whole lot."

"He himself does not agree with you." Gaia chuckled. "How did he phrase it again? 'Humanity does not need war and no one would miss it at any rate. Athena is a deity of War too, she can take my role. And everyone would be infinitively happier. Swear to me that you will save those that _will_ be missed before saving me.' Will you not heed his command, son of Poseidon?"

"No." How often did I have to tell people that? "Besides, I somehow doubt you'll let me take either of them."

"Indeed." She giggled. "That would beat the purpose of taking them in the first place, wouldn't it?"

"Why did you take them in the first place?" Nico asked, beating me to it.


	6. So that's the other viewpoint

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 6**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"You tell me." She answered him, her brown eyes narrowing dangerously. "And if you say 'because we defeated Kronos' I will squash you."

"Why then?" I drew her attention to me. "If not because of that, why then?"

"Why do you think Oceanus fought alongside of Kronos when he did not do so in the first war?" She answered by question with one of her own. "It was not because he thought that Kronos would win. It didn't compel him the last time, so why would it now, au contraire to what your father wants you to believe? Tell me, son of Poseidon, what do you know of the history of your future mother-in-law?"

It took me a moment to realize she meant Athena with that. I blinked, trying to recall what Annabeth had told me. "She jumped out of Zeus' head? Fully grown and armed?" I managed to dig that much out of my memory.

"And how did she get _into_ Zeus' head to begin with?" Gaia rose, arranging her deep-green dress as she circled us. Damn, I only now noticed how much she had in common with Demeter. "I will tell you: Zeus ate Athena's mother when she was still pregnant. She was his first wife, named Metis. She was the favorite of her father, Oceanus. And do you know what my son got when he demanded an explanation for her being _eaten_? Nothing. No explanation, no remorse, nothing. He sought merely to avenge his favorite child."

"What does that have to do with you taking my siblings?" Thalia demanded, lightning forming around her fingertips.

"Zeus has gone on unpunished too long. It ends now." Gaia's brown eyes burned with power and my father's amulet grew hot as I felt the plates of the earth shift. "Again and again he committed terrible crimes and went away unpunished. No more. As my children suffered, so will his. As I had to watch helplessly as they wept, so will he."

"Kronos deserved his fate." Nico darkly muttered.

"Kronos was an idiot." She agreed, surprising all three of us. "But what of the others? Iapetus was not involved in the first war: he did not fight for either side. But does that spare him? Of course not. He was cast into Tartarus for the mere crime of being related to Kronos. And his sons? Atlas sided with Kronos, so let's put him out of the equation here. Prometheus and Epimetheus were allied to the gods. But does that protect them from Zeus' bloody pride? Ah, I recall well my grandchildren's suffering: Prometheus did the gods a favor when giving humanity fire – how else are they supposed to make sacrafices? – and we all know his reward. And Epimetheus? He had to see his family punished for crimes that were none. And then was punished for the 'crime' of Prometheus." She accentuated each word with a tremble through the entire cave-system. "Enough is enough, young half-bloods. I have grown sick and tired of turning a blind eye to him."

She returned to her seat, staring at us. I looked at my cousins, neither of whom looked any less uncomfortable than I did. If it was true what she said, she did have point. If she was lying… well, there was nothing we could do about that. But I got the feeling she wasn't, because quite frankly: why would she get us here, only to lie to us? Didn't change anything about our dilemma though: how were we – three half-bloods – supposed to fight against Gaia, the very _Earth_ itself?

"I must admit I admire you, son of Poseidon." She cut through my inner debate with myself. I looked back at her, probably looking like she grew three heads, if you understand what I mean.

"Oh?" I answered. Smooth, Jackson, smooth.

"Your fatal flaw is personal loyalty. It only has been enhanced by your dive into the Styx. You come here, to me, with the only thing driving you the promise you made to Annabeth and Clarisse: that you would return their parents. And you would be damned to Tartarus before leaving without them, regardless of knowing how you could manage that. True or not?" A golden goblet appeared on the armrest of her chair. She sipped as she watched me. "True or not?"

"Yes." I answered with determination. It had been Athena herself who told me about my fatal flaw. There was a certain sense of irony in the fact that it now was her who felt the full force of it.

"And you never considered that your life would be easier without them?" Gaia pointed to one of the doors. "Never thought about the fact that with Ares here with me, no one would seek to kill you? That with Athena gone from Annabeth's life the one major thing keeping you two apart would be gone also? Do you not realize that letting me win would be more favorable to you?"

Oh, she did _not_ just go there. I jumped up, uncapping Riptide. Gaia herself shot up too, her hand crushing my wrist. Without the Curse of Achilles she would have snapped it like a twig.

"This isn't about me." I hissed into her face, snarling at the amused expression in her eyes. "Annabeth and Clarisse are not the only ones who want Athena and Ares back. Not the only ones who need them back. I will not leave without them."

She was silent, even the subtle shifts of the earth around us stopped. Then she released my hand, pushing me back with such force I crashed to the ground. Thalia and Nico were between her and me instantly, regardless of use of that move.


	7. Let's drown the Hopespot, shall we?

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 7**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"So brave, so loyal." She mused as I got back on my feet. "All three of you. Had your fathers been anything like you, it would not have come to this. Had they had some loyalty, you would not be facing me."

"They are loyal." Nico hissed.

"It depends on one's point of view, I guess." She shrugged. "Now, how to solve this little _dilemma _we have here? I doubt you'll leave and all four of us doubt I'd hand them over like that."

"Congrats on figuring that out." I picked up Riptide, holding it at the ready. I realized that from the sidelines it must have seemed a very uneven battle: three armed teenagers against a plumb woman who looked like she was more likely to bake us pancakes than fight back. Don't get me wrong, it was a very uneven battle, just not the way people would expect. All four of us knew she could end this in a second, but she didn't. Just don't ask me why, because I could only tell you I didn't know.

Gaia stared at us, her chocolate-brown eyes tracing our bodies. Thalia had pulled the bow Artemis had given her from her shoulder, now aiming an arrow at the woman in front of us. Nico held his Stygian iron sword in front of him. He had moved to cover Thalia some, something I had mirrored at her other side.

Suddenly, while we were watching, something changed in her mood. She seemed to become sad, looking away from us.

"Mother of all: that is how they used to call me. A mother must dole out punishment at times. Each and every time broke my heart, but I was left with no choice. Pride is a terrible thing, and each and every god suffers from that." She turned to look at us. "If I were to give you a chance, would you take it?"

"A chance for what?" I echoed, my eyes narrowing as I regarded her.

"To earn another chance for Zeus. To save the two War-gods." She seated herself, her green dress fanning out around her legs as she did so.

"How?" Quests of people who want you to fail usually are not a good idea.

"By doing me a favor. I visited my son Oceanus recently and I left my necklace there. It is not something of power, or great value. Well, perhaps sentimental value, but that is it."

"And you want us to get that?" I realized. Oceanus, my father's predecessor as Ruler of the Sea, and the Titan who had attacked him in this last war. _Di immortalis_, I'd get killed if I only got _near _him. And if Gaia had spoken the truth, Thalia would too. Well, both Thalia and Nico would die for getting into the water already.

"Yes. Bring me my necklace and I will give Zeus a last chance. His _very _last chance." She took a bit of dirt of the ground and in seconds molded it into the image of a necklace. She threw it at us. "That is how it looks."

"And how are we supposed to get it? We'll die before getting near it." Nico pointed out.

"The old rules are moot: the gods have helped you on your quest, meaning Poseidon will no doubt forgive you for taking a dive. As for Oceanus, you'll have to deal with him on your own." She raised her hands, pointing them at us. "I'll even help you. You have a day to get my necklace, if you have not returned or contacted me before then I'll assume you dead and Athena and Ares are doomed."

The next moment the ground opened under us – again – and we got sucked in. I only had one thought: earth-travel sucks. It was tight, dark and nothing short of uncomfortable. And loud, very loud. Burst-your-eardrums-loud.

The next moment I was free. Not that that made me feel better, mind you. I was under water, deep under water. And while I could survive, my cousins could not. A hand grabbed my foot. Nico and Thalia had known better than to try and get to the surface and had come to me.

"Woah…" I blinked when Nico talked. "This is weird."

"Totally." Thalia held my hand while my cousin started to reach for my other. "It must be your father's amulet."

"And his good-will." I realized what happened. Normally everything I touch under water gets dry when I want it too, but apparently now it also involved people being able to breathe if they touched me. Handy…

"Well, where to now?" I found myself sort of sandwiched between them, both having commandeered a hand. "She could have given us directions."

"How about that castle?" We all turned, seeing a magnificent underwater-palace. It wasn't my father's, looking far more rugged and cruder than his.

"I somehow have the feeling swimming up to the gate would be a stupid idea." Thalia pointed out. "He'd murder us before we had a chance to talk to him."

"Well, since you're still alive that idea is invalid." The voice came from our right. Resting on some rocks was the one we had been send for: Oceanus. I cursed in Greek as he swam down to our level, his fishtail leaving a trail of bubbles in its´ wake. A red snake curled around one of his arms and I recognized it as the snake he had carried into battle against my father. "Now, what are a son of Poseidon, a son of Hades and a daughter of Zeus doing at my doorstep?"

He made our family-relations sound like a crime. In his mind they probably were. _Di immortalis, _I suddenly realized that Gaia had been right: he was out for vengeance, nothing more, nothing less. This would be harder than I thought, making the entire thing near impossible.


	8. That was Easier than Expected

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 7**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"So, can you grace me with an answer?" He stared us down, his eyes burning with the power of a Titan.

"We got send here." I started, which caused him to snarl.

"By your fathers?"

"Lady Gaia." Thalia beat me to it, addressing him despite the death-glare he was throwing her way even more than mine. "We must retrieve her necklace to save my siblings."

His eyes narrowed, glaring at us. Then he surprised all three of us by reaching out with his hand. "Come to me, son of Hades. Your father alone does not have my ill-will. Explain this to me and perhaps I shall grant you the necklace."

He took my cousin an end away, the both of them talking, but I couldn't hear what about. It went on and on for what seemed like ages and I just hoped Nico remembered the time-limit. That's when they stopped talking and the waiting became even worse. Thalia's grip on my hand became worse as more and more time was spend in utter silence.

Finally both returned, with Nico transferring between the Titan and me.

"You can have the necklace." Oceanus said softly. The water started to move, carrying out of the palace the exact replica of what Gaia had shown us. I made to reach for it, but he snatched it away, handing it to Nico.

He left without another word after that, swimming to the lights of the palace in the distance.

"Thank you!" I called after him.

He turned to look at us. "I didn't do it for you, Jackson, nor for the gods or the humans. I did it for my daughter, Metis, who would not want her only child to be in such a situation. I did this for Athena, my only grandchild by my favorite. Now leave, before I decide that killing you and that Zeus-spawn will make me feel better about this."

His blue scales disappeared in the murky waters.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"That was very uncomfortable, Percy." Nico complained as we descended back into the earth. I had carried us to the surface and then all the way to Greenland, which had thankfully not been too far. Apparently Oceanus lived in the waters around the North-Pole, but we still only had about an hour to reach Gaia, which was not good.

"You had a better idea?" I answered, leading the way into the cave-system. "Wait for a stray boat?"

"How about call for Hippocampi?" Thalia said from our other side. "You did that before."

"I somehow doubt Oceanus would like more Poseidon-creations in his waters." Nico reasoned. I must admit I had not thought about the Hippocampi at all. It would make sense though, the part about Oceanus not wanting them that is.

We kept running, this new path being like the old one: no monsters, no forks…


	9. Di Immortalis, we need a Taxi

**Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 9**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"You succeeded." Gaia had not moved from the chair we had last seen her on. I had given her the necklace. "I must say it comes as a surprise to me."

"Oceanus did not want his granddaughter by Metis to suffer like this." Thalia said. Her chest was heaving in the aftermath of our mad dash to the room, but she looked collected as always.

"He loved her dearly." Gaia rose from the chair. "A deal is a deal. You are free to take them. But you better tell Zeus that this is his last chance. Nothing will change my mind a second time."

A part of a wall faded away as she pointed at it. "Farewell, heroes."

"You're leaving?" I asked.

"I see no need to stay." She answered, smiling at me. "You have done well, Perseus, and while it is a fatal flaw, your personal loyalty saved the day. Or rather, saved War."

She fell apart. And no, this time it is not something figuratively, but she literally fell apart into dust. Certainly beat the whole look-at-me-and-burn-approach of the other gods and titans.

"Let's get them and leave before she changes her mind." Nico suggested and walked into the room she had opened. "Oh, Di Immortalis…"

The curse didn't exactly cover it. I was ready to lose my lunch, so let's not go into describing what we saw in that room. Just believe me when I say that they looked terrible. I guess that going overboard on the torture is easy when your target can't die.

I was just glad Annabeth wasn't here right now. She wouldn't have survived seeing her mother like this. Di Immortalis, indeed…

"How do we get them back to Olympus?" Nico asked, having grown pale in the course of a few seconds. "No amount of Ambrosia or Nectar is going to fix THAT." He couldn't find the words to describe the scene and frankly, I couldn't blame him for that.

I glanced to my other side, where Thalia was pretty much frozen. They were her siblings, so I couldn't blame her for that either. But that made it three people we'd have to get back to Olympus somehow. Gaia couldn't have helped us with that one, could she?

"Can't you summon a chariot driven by the dead?" I suddenly realized.

But he shook his head sadly. "Only the horses and the riders, not the chariot itself. We'd need a god to get the chariot."

"Your father." Thalia spoke, surprising us both. To be honest, I had expected her to remain silent for a while. "We can have him summon a chariot."

"What? How?" Then I realized what she meant. "The vial! He said you could summon him with that!"

Nico gasped, digging into the pockets of his jacket. He still had it, thank the gods. With all that falling around, not to mention swimming across the ocean, that had to be a small miracle.

"Father, we need your aid." He whispered, before breaking it. The shards of ice grew darker and by the time they hit the floor had turned into shadows. In seconds those very same shadows had grown, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. When they fell away Hades himself was indeed standing before us, black armor hugging his frame.

He made to say something to Nico, but saw Athena and Ares. I believe that moment was the first time I actually saw my uncle shocked beyond words. "Great mother above…" He breathed, thrusting his helmet at his son while all but running to the two other gods in the room.

"Athena, Ares?" He gave them the once-over, before turning to us. "I take it you need my help to get them out of here?"

"Yes." Nico answered his father. "We cannot do it alone."

"That much is obvious." He rose again. "I do not sense Gaia anywhere."

"She's gone." I told him, watching as he suddenly started to incinerate some of the furniture. Black flames burned away a big circle in the center of the room, destroying even any metal there had been.

"I guess the story can wait." He frowned. "Until we got those two to Apollo. Move a bit."

The earth shook, my father's amulet burning on my skin. Out of the ground came a chariot I had only seen once before: the one he had ridden into battle against Kronos. The moment it had fully arrived it changed forms, becoming one of those hearses, those cars with which coffins were transported. I guess that made sense for a god of the dead.

"I'm warning you though. Persephone says I drive like I want people to permanently join me." He opened the back, shadows moving to envelop the two unconscious gods.


	10. Di Immortalis, never again the Hadestaxi

**10Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 10**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Understatement. That is the only thing I could think about while Hades drove us to Olympus. No wait, understatement did not even cover it. He did not drive like he wanted us to permanently join him, he drove like he wanted to take half New York with him too. Had he not been a god and without the Mist, there would have been barricades the moment he came near the outskirts of the city. I guess when you're immortal driver's ED falls a bit to the sidelines in the grand scheme of things.

Did that building seriously evaporate for a moment? I managed to glance back through the window for a moment and only saw faint shadows crawl over the walls before Hades took another corner, throwing me on top of my cousins.

Thalia was looking decidedly green and Nico had grown quite a bit paler since we left Gaia's caves. I'm sure I didn't look that handsome anymore either, but I sure wasn't going to try to check with my uncle behind the wheel. The only ones who did not seem to notice a thing were the gods, Ares and Athena floating in dark shadows in the car's back and Hades… well, you know…

"Brace yourselves. Oh, and Thalia, close your eyes, we're going up."

The next moment, we were driving up the side of the Empire State Building. After nearly having been thrown to the trunk of the car, of course. Thalia had her eyes firmly shut, her fingers digging into the fabric of our seats.

The next moment the car crashed forward into a horizontal position and I saw the temples of Olympus fly by. Nymphs and minor gods jumped aside when the black car thundered up the main street, heading straight for the Main Hall.

I had to brace myself on the chair in front of me when the car came to a screeching halt on the marble floors. Never again am I going to step in a car where Hades is behind the wheel.

He left the car as I tried to figure out how to use my legs. He opened the door where we sat, helping Thalia outside.

"I think your lieutenant needs some rest, Artemis." He looked over his shoulder. As I got out myself I saw that the full Council was present, well except for the two gods in the car, that is.

"Yes, I know I ruined the throne-room, Hera, and I don't care." Apparently my uncle had seen that complaint coming from a mile away. "Apollo, get your ass down here. Now."

I looked up for the first time, seeing him stalk to the back of the car. Apollo had not moved.

"Now!" His voice echoed in the room. "Sue me for taking command later, but get. Your. Ass. Down. Here. Now."

I must admit I turned to Nico, checking up on him just so I did not need to see the reaction to Ares and Athena. You could tell the exact moment where Hades pulled them from the car from the terrible silence that ensued.

The air became oppressive, not moving. The silence then spread out, soon enough claiming the entire mountain.

"What happened?" Zeus demanded, his voice quivering with emotions I couldn't name. Okay, there was fury, but several others as well. I told him, making sure I also delivered Gaia's message – which nearly caused a terrible storm over New York too – and finishing with an account of the dream Ares had send me nearly on. I did not mention the choking-part though; my father might not have liked that one.


	11. Thanks by the Gods of War

**10Category:** **Percy Jackson & the Olympians**

**Rating:** **M**

**Couples:** **hints of Official Couples. **

**Warnings:** **AU, Blood (read: torture) **

**Chapter:**** 11**

**Copyright:** **Characters & places © By Rick Riordan, Plot & OC´s © by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Several days after I returned to Camp with Nico and Thalia an Iris-message came from Olympus. Including an invitation for one of those Olympian parties. I guess it was a thank-you from Zeus for saving Athena and Ares.

Later that evening the entire camp emptied to Olympus, which I have to tell you counted over a hundred half-bloods by now, so you can imagine the huge group of teenagers suddenly standing in front of the Empire State Building.

The next few hours were a blur of speeches, dances and music. There were some things I remembered: Annabeth dancing with me in a way unbefitting the daughter of Athena, Clarisse once more thanking me for saving her dad. But there were some things I knew no one would forget: the complete explosion of cheers and whooping and stuff when about halfway the party the doors opened to admit the two War-gods. My arms were emptier faster than a glass of Peanut butter around Tyson.

Annabeth and several of her sisters hung around their mother's neck, laughing so loudly I heard them even over the music. And Ares revealed a side I never imagined he'd have. Despite several new scars littering his face, he managed to look downright fatherly as his children surrounded him.

Both of them were swallowed up by the masses, disappearing among the other gods and Half-bloods. Imagine my surprise when both suddenly appeared beside me.

"Could we talk to you somewhere privately?" Sure, they phrased it like a question, but I felt the underlying order. They lead me from the general party to one of the far-away gardens where the music was decidedly more silent.

"We must thank you, son of Poseidon." Athena said, her grey eyes piercing into mine. Yeesh, you'd expect that something like what she went through would actually take her down for a while, but no such thing…

"Apollo – among others – told us what you went through to save us." Ares spoke up. He looked a lot less comfortable with having to thank me than his sister did. "And the many opportunities Gaia gave you to abandon us."

"Yeah… Well, I promised Clarisse and Annabeth I'd bring you back." I pointed out.

"Even if you'd die trying." Athena actually smiled then. "Perhaps you are different from your father. But I do suggest you do not waver in your loyalty. Because Hero of Olympus or not, I will be more than willing to 'forget' that you saved me."

"I already told you: I have no intention of doing so." I countered, getting fed up with her 'You're a son of Poseidon, you are not trustworthy'-thing.

"Mortals can waver." Ares interfered. "I guess I better stop that…"

"Feud?" Athena supplied helpfully.

"Yes, that which I have with you." He didn't look happy about it.

"We both have to make sacrifices, brother." Athena shooed me away. "Now off with you, there's a party in your honor going on, you know."

I thought it better not to argue.


End file.
